Common Breastfeeding Myths

Ive got a whole stack, ready to email to Emma, so she can pretty them up, but if you can think of any, Feel free to post. I'll start with some that aren't on the list, but often come up in "class".

If your breasts are soft, you have no milk

Same thing if you don't leak

I'm too skinny to brestfeed, may baby will starve

BREASTFEEDING MYTHS

Frequent breastfeeding leads to poor milk production, a weak let down response and ultimately to unsuccessful breastfeeding

If your baby wants to feed all the time it means you don’t have enough milk or your milk is no good

A mother should only feed 4 to 6 times a day to maintain a good supply

Babies get all the milk they need in the first ten minutes

A breastfeeding other should space her feedings so her breasts have time to refill

Your breasts run out of milk, especially in the late afternoon

Never wake a sleeping baby

Babies need to be fed on a strict routine right form birth and not demand fed, otherwise baby will be spoilt and mother run ragged

If baby is not rapidly gaining weight, the mother’s milk is no good

If you couldn’t breastfeed your first baby, you won’t be able to feed any others

Breastfeeding makes your boobs saggy

Poor supply is due to stress, tiredness and bad diet and liquid intake

“Comfort” sucking has no scientific basis or benefit

Nipple confusion doesn’t exist

Frequent breastfeeding leads to post natal depression

Demand feeding makes a mother resentful

You must always make baby drink both breasts at each feed

Other members of the family need to feed the baby so they can bond as well

Some babies are allergic to their mother’s milk

Breastfeeding beyond 1 is of little value as breast milk quality declines after 16 months

Refs
La Leche League Common breastfeeding myths doc
Annie Thompson Myths Lesson PCP Doc

I always liked the "breastfeeding is 100% painless and pleasant" thing. YEAH RIGHT!! Its damn hard, very uncomfortable but gets better and after a while it is 95% painless

"You must have skin to skin contact within the 1st hour to breastfeed"

"if you smoke you won't be able to produce enough breastmilk"

"you can't get pregnant while breastfeeding"

nzpiper wrote: I always liked the "breastfeeding is 100% painless and pleasant" thing. YEAH RIGHT!! Its damn hard, very uncomfortable but gets better and after a while it is 95% painless

I concur

nzpiper wrote: I always liked the "breastfeeding is 100% painless and pleasant" thing. YEAH RIGHT!! Its damn hard, very uncomfortable but gets better and after a while it is 95% painless

HA! kinda like the old ante-natal video classic - "if baby's latched properly it won't hurt" - riiight...

Oh the one that gets me is about putting baby's lip on the bottom of the areola & that will be the basis of a good latch......hmmmmm yeah ok they obviously didn't look at a range of boobs when coming up with that one!

weegee wrote: fattartsrock wrote: Poor supply is due to stress, tiredness and bad diet and liquid intake Really Annie?! I totally thought that was gospel! Is it just that stress inhibits letdown then?

i certainly thought those things could contribute to a poor supply. come give us more info Fats!

Maya wrote: Yeah, or that the whole areola should be in baby's mouth - my babies mouths aren't that huge!

haha so true! i quickly learnt that one did not apply to me

If you breastfeed all the baby weight will fall off -- yeah right!! If you're like me you will get so hungry that none will come off til you stop breastfeeding!